This web site was implemented in early 1999. Our intent is to make the site a repository for information regarding research on the biology of the Tanaidacea, a somewhat poorly-known yet significant group of Crustacea. Initial efforts were focused on compiling information concerning research contributions made subsequent to 1986, the last year that an issue of the newsletter, "Tanaidacea News" [#19], was assembled and distributed by Jürgen Sieg. At present, the primary focus is on improving the utility of an interactive database which was developed and introduced in early 2003. The static Web pages at this site are updated once or twice a year; the interactive database is updated more frequently.

Tanaidaceans are usually considered to be a minor taxonomic group of Crustacea (Malacostraca: Peracarida). Most are small (2-5 mm long) but adults range in size from 0.5 - 120 mm. A few may be found in freshwater, but most are marine and brackish water forms. The majority of the 1200+ species have been reported living at depths exceeding 200 m; some have been reported at depths exceeding 9000 m. In some deepwater environments, Tanaidacea are the most diverse and abundant fauna present. Although relatively few species have been reported from estuaries, they are often ecologically significant in such systems.

General morphological characteristics for the Order Tanaidacea include 1) a carapace formed via fusion of the first two thoracic somites, 2) chelate first periopods, 3) six free thoracic somites, 4) five abdominal somites bearing pleopods and 5) a pleotelson with a pair of terminal or subterminal uropods.

An important aspect of the life history is the absence of a true planktonic stage. The early developmental period is spent while young are within the marsupium of the mother (shown below). Subsequently, juveniles (mancas) emerge as epibenthic forms.

A number of colleagues have aided our efforts to implement this web site. Among them are Roger Bamber, Graham Bird, Magdalena Blazewicz-Paszkowycz, Graham Edgar, Modest Gutu, Rosalia Kudinova-Pasternak, Anna Pasternak, Gary Poore, Anja Schmidt, Kurt Schminke, Jürgen Guerrero-Kommritz and Fred Schram. We are grateful for their contributions and hope that other workers will feel free to provide additional material. In addition, we appreciate the assistance of the publishers of Crustaceana, for granting permission for us to use the tribute to Karl Lang and published photographs of Sueo Shiino and Karl Lang at our site. Kim Larsen was funded by a BP Deep-Sea Biodiversity fellowship. Financial support for these web pages has been generously provided by the University of Southern Mississippi, National Science Foundation, and through a Karush Fellowship from MBL.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0529749.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.